12 replies to this topic

[TheLegend_njf]

I want an all midi quest, but I do want to add one mp3 song to my quest. Any help?

[XMSB]

To load an MP3 file into your quest, you'll need to to use the Enhanced Music feature in the DMap Editor. Keep in mind that some other extensions are supported as well, but not all files of the supported extensions (including MP3) work in ZC. Also, your MP3 file needs to be in the same folder as your quest or in the same folder as ZC.

Edited by XMuppetSB, 16 May 2013 - 06:02 PM.

[TheLegend_njf]

There is no way to set a beginning and end loop point with mp3s?

[nicklegends]

Not that I know of. You could edit the song using a program like Audacity if that works better for you.

[TheLegend_njf]

I guess that would work, but there would be no way to make it an infinite loop, and that would be important for gameplay, especially when somebody presses pause. I don't want the music to stop, I would like to make it an infinite loop, even if it has to be scripted one way or another.

[Moosh]

Don't. I made this mistake and I have regretted it every second. PureZC doesn't allow you to host or link to MP3 or any other non MIDI or tracker files. I don't think you could even link to SoulsofWisdom.com if you were hosting the file there. MP3s are serious fucking business.

[Kite]

Don't. I made this mistake and I have regretted it every second. PureZC doesn't allow you to host or link to MP3 or any other non MIDI or tracker files. I don't think you could even link to SoulsofWisdom.com if you were hosting the file there. MP3s are serious fucking business.

 

Er... this isn't entirely true. IT, XM, S3M, MOD, SPC, GYM, NSF, GBS, and VGMs are perfectly fine and we probably won't bat an eye at those due to the way those formats work.

 

We're thinking about revising the MP3 and OGG rule a bit now that we are on a dedicated server (still no direct hosting whatsoever, but being looser on the linking within certain limits). But we haven't finalized the limits for that yet, so don't start throwing those out just yet. It's also worth noting that non-copyrighted MP3s and OGGs are perfectly fine. The current policy only applies to copyrighted music.

[TheLegend_njf]

Hmmmm, this is a tricky one.

Especially when it comes to copyrighted music. I understand if you legally own the music, having an mp3 of such music is not considered theft because you did purchase their music legally.

Also, the use of the song would not be shared as a downloadable media, but included within a game, it would be to my understanding that a band would see this as a form of advertising or appreciating their material, because the mp3 is not being shared in downloadable format, but shared on a game in which could catch a person's interest just enough to say "I want to buy this cd".

But this is clearly an avenue I want to explore more into the future. I'd say I'll include the mp3 in my beta, and if I feel over time that this is not a good decision, I'll use the midi version I had downloaded months ago.

It would be a shame, because its the most fitting song for the purpose that I want to use it.

Edited by NewJourneysFire, 17 May 2013 - 10:57 AM.

[TheLegend_njf]

After doing some research, it seems like I can pull off adding a copyrighted mp3 song under the grounds of fair use. 

 

Generally, these are the norms or possible reasons copyrighted material can be used for fair use of copyrighted material, these include education, scholarship, research, and news reporting, as well as criticism and commentary more generally. Non-profit purposes also favor fair use (especially when coupled with one of the other favored purposes.)

 

However, which of course stands to be obvious, that all profit seeking purposes does stand to go against fair use, and is therefore completely unacceptable by copyright laws.

 

So from that understanding, it is just as illegal and as legal to use mp3's of our favorite bands as well it is to use midis of our favorite games, there simply is no exception, other than terms of fair use, and because Zeldaclassic is a non-profit service, I would believe it is fair from this research to use an mp3 song under the grounds of fair use, just the same as I would use a midi (especially if I already purchased the material and do hold a legal copy).

 

However, this is still not my call to make, as is, if PureZC still finds this unacceptable, I must comply if I am to remain on friendly grounds here, despite fair use, it just might not be an avenue this site wants to take any exceptions for, even fair use. 

[LinktheMaster]

After doing some research, it seems like I can pull off adding a copyrighted mp3 song under the grounds of fair use. 

 

Generally, these are the norms or possible reasons copyrighted material can be used for fair use of copyrighted material, these include education, scholarship, research, and news reporting, as well as criticism and commentary more generally. Non-profit purposes also favor fair use (especially when coupled with one of the other favored purposes.)

 

However, which of course stands to be obvious, that all profit seeking purposes does stand to go against fair use, and is therefore completely unacceptable by copyright laws.

 

So from that understanding, it is just as illegal and as legal to use mp3's of our favorite bands as well it is to use midis of our favorite games, there simply is no exception, other than terms of fair use, and because Zeldaclassic is a non-profit service, I would believe it is fair from this research to use an mp3 song under the grounds of fair use, just the same as I would use a midi (especially if I already purchased the material and do hold a legal copy).

 

However, this is still not my call to make, as is, if PureZC still finds this unacceptable, I must comply if I am to remain on friendly grounds here, despite fair use, it just might not be an avenue this site wants to take any exceptions for, even fair use. 

There's a few things that are a bit incorrect here.

 

First of all, midis are actually completely different from mp3s and other things that are direct rips.  Midis of VG music are synthetic recreations that are hand crafted by people.  Basically, someone opens a program and tries to make a song from scratch to sound like a song from a video game.  Therefore, it's not illegal because they are not direct recreations of the songs.  This is why they sound completely different from original songs.  Also, midis are just a list of notes to play, so they are really just recreated on the fly when you play the midi.

 

Basically, let's say someone listens to an amazing orchestra.  So what they do is then write sheet music to try to sound like the VG music.  However, they only have a certain set of instruments they can use, and they don't know exactly how the song was written, so they just sort of write it in a way that mimics it.  It won't be perfect, but it'll do.  They then give you that sheet music and the instruments to play it.  This is how midis work.  Compare this to that same person bringing in a microphone, recording the orchestra, then distributing it.  In the law, these two things are entirely different.

 

Also, you are incorrect about fair use.  This is a pretty common misconception.  Fair use does not mean that you can use anything you want as long as you don't get paid for it.  This is far from where fair use is applicable.  Fair use means that you can use small chunks of copyrighted content (up to 30 seconds) for use of education, commentary, criticism, etc. for no profit.  You could maybe argue that using mp3s in ZC would fall under fair use (though this is debatable), but you'd still be limited to only 30 seconds.

 

An example I can think of is that you see lots of people post YouTube videos of songs from professional artists.  They cite it being "fair use" since they make no profit, and they give the artist credit for the work.  However, oftentimes these videos are still taken down.

[TheLegend_njf]

I would argue that in that case, the midi author can request to have their midis removed, but chances are, most midis are often designed to be shared and used this way.

I will need to take some time to think about this, it's just one song, but clearly one song too many, I would like to research the band's history and attitude towards their music being used. Also, what would be the consequences of using this one song? Be asked to remove it? Violate PureZC rules? Or actually be sued by the record company and/band.

Many experts here would say I should drop the mp3 altogether, it may become a choice I must settle for. Which is unfortunate because the song does work and is implemented to provide the best experience, an experience the midi version simply just can't offer.

I guess if having the mp3 in my quest is not accepted here at PureZC, I'll simply have no other choice either way.

[LinktheMaster]

I would argue that in that case, the midi author can request to have their midis removed, but chances are, most midis are often designed to be shared and used this way.

I will need to take some time to think about this, it's just one song, but clearly one song too many, I would like to research the band's history and attitude towards their music being used. Also, what would be the consequences of using this one song? Be asked to remove it? Violate PureZC rules? Or actually be sued by the record company and/band.

Many experts here would say I should drop the mp3 altogether, it may become a choice I must settle for. Which is unfortunate because the song does work and is implemented to provide the best experience, an experience the midi version simply just can't offer.

I guess if having the mp3 in my quest is not accepted here at PureZC, I'll simply have no other choice either way.

Well, another thing to remember is that with mp3s, you're not embedding it into the quest.  You have to distribute the mp3 yourself.  So you're basically doing the same thing as uploading the mp3 and giving it to other people.  This is file sharing, and it is illegal.  Because of this, all attempts to cite "fair use" is basically null and void.

 

Also, please don't try to make arguments like "This is just me, and it's just one song."  This is completely flawed logic.  We can't make exceptions for just you.  If we allow you to upload one song, then we need to let everyone upload one song.  And if everyone starts uploading illegal mp3s with downloads, then we become a filesharing website. 

 

As far as consequences, your submission would be removed and you'd get a warning.  Outside of that, usually websites hosting content are given removal requests by companies.  However, there are times in filesharing instances where people are sued.  This is very unlikely, but it's still illegal, so I'm not going to be allowing people to upload copyrighted music on my server, and that's final.

[TheLegend_njf]

Oops, I didn't mean it that way, that's what I meant when I said one song is one song too many. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I probably made that confusion by starting with "I would argue" but not emphasizing the but. Lol

I've come to the conclusion that I will not use this song for any purpose, period. Before I knew about implementing mp3s into quests I planned on using this song as the music to include in a demo video. But I fear even that is something that is best avoidable here at PureZC. So I'll settle for using the midi version.

Perhaps, by the time I get my quest completed, a better midi will be available, if not, or either way, there is no harm in settling for the midi I am using.

Thanks for clearing things up for me. I am still amazed by how easily messages can be interpreted so differently than we originally intend them to be.

Edited by NewJourneysFire, 17 May 2013 - 03:34 PM.